Julian of Speyer: Life of St. Francis (Vita Sancti Francisci)

TRANSLATIONS JULIAN OF SPEYER: UFE OF ST. FRANCIS O7ITA SANCTI FRANCISCI) INTRODUCTION* Publication of the English Omnibus of the Sourcesfor the Life of St. Francis in 1973 not only reflected the English-speaking world's interest in the writings and early biographies of Francis of Assisi, but also aroused curiosity concerning other thirteenthand fourteenth-century texts not included in that work.1 The present study aims to introduce English-speaking readers to one such text: Julian of Speyer's Vita Sancti Francisci. Long neglected and largely overlooked today, this biography of the Poverello was so highly regarded in the Middle Ages that Arnold of Sarano compared its author to St. Luke.2 I. JULIAN'S LIFE. Little can be known with certainty regarding the early life of Julian of Speyer. Born toward the end of the twelfth century at Speyer, on the Rhine south of Frankfurt am Main, he was also called Theutonicus, "the German." He received professional training as a musician in Paris where, as a young man, he sang in the choir of the court chapel.3 His success as a * The author wishes to dedicate this study to his parents. He also expresses his gratitude to Sr. M. Rachel Hooper, O.S.F. of Daemen [Rosary Hill] College in Buffalo, N.Y., and to Dr. Jeffrey White of the Department of Classical Languages, St. Bonaventure University for the generous aid and advice they rendered to him in preparing the translation. He gladly acknowledges his debt of thanks to Rev. Conrad Harkins, O.F.M. for his guidance, expertise and direction. 1 Marion A. Habig, ed., St. Francis ofAssisi, Writings and Early Biographies: English Omnibus of the Sources for the Life of St. Francis (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1973). 2 Ferdinand-Marie Delorme, ed., "Pages inédites sur S. François écrites vers 1365 par Arnaud de Sarrant Min. Prov. D'Aquitaine," Miscellanea Franciscana [MF] 42 (1942): 126. 3 See Franz Wellner, Drei Liturgische Reimhistorien aus dem Kreis der Minderen Brüder (Munich: Kösel-Verlag, 1951) 17. 94JASON M. MISKULY, O.F.M. musician was such that, "before entering the Order, he served as master of song at the court of the French King."4 In this position he would have been responsible for directing, organizing and, when necessary, composing music for liturgical and social functions at court. It is possible that Julian entered the Order as early as 1224. Thomas of Eccleston states that four masters received the habit in the Church of St. Denis at Paris on Good Friday of that year.5 Julian, a magister cantus, may have been one of these masters but, since Eccleston does not give their names, the date of Julian's entrance into the Order remains uncertain. Jordan of Giano is the first chronicler to mention Julian by name. Writing in 1262, he reports that, after the general chapter held at Assisi in 1227, "Brother Simon, therefore, coming to Germany with Brother Julian, who later wrote the offices of Blessed Francis and Blessed Anthony in a lofty style and beautiful meter, ordered a provincial chapter to be held at Cologne on the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude [October 28, 1227]."6 Because of the ambiguity of this reference, any attempt to fix Julian's entrance into the Order earlier than 1227 would be, at best, a conjecture, even though a late eighteenth-century chronicle states that he "received the habit" in that year.7 Although it is certain that Julian accompanied Simon to Germany, it is unclear when and where they met. One modern author specifically asserts that Julian went with Simon to the general chapter of 1227.8 This hypothesis seems credible given 4 "Hie ante ordinis ingressum fuit magister cantus in aula regis Francorum ," De Conformitate Vitae Beati Francisci ad Vitam. Domini Iesu, Analecta Franciscana [AF] 4 (Quaracchi: Collegium S. Bonaventurae, 1906) 308. This work dates from about 1398. Julian probably served under Philip II (1180-1223) and/or Louis VIII (1223-26). 5 Tractatus de Adventu Fratrum Minorum in Angliam, ed. Andrew G. Little (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1951) 27. Trans. Placid Hermann, "The Coming of the Friars Minor to England" in XIIIth Century...